HL Deb 20 July 2004 vol 664 cc24-5WA
Lord Taylor of Warwick

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What percentage of families are given their first choice of primary school for their children. [HL3794]

Baroness Ashton of Upholland

The department does not gather statistics on the percentage of families that are given their first choice primary school for their children. Individual local education authorities may have information. Collecting reliable data is difficult because many parents apply for places at more than one school and it is not clear which is their first preference. However, co-ordinated admission arrangements, which will affect primary school intakes from September 2006, will provide LEAs with more easily accessible information on how well parental preferences are met in maintained primary schools.